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Service Club’s Children’s Christmas Fund has Raised More Than $1-million Since its Inception

Published on January 6, 2012

Over the years, the Children’s Christmas Fund has raised more than $1,050,000 to help needy families and their children. According to latest figures, the fund has assisted more than 27,500 families.

The figures were released by the 2011 board of directors. The Children’s Christmas Fund is sponsored by the service clubs in Cornwall and the immediate area. Peter Morgan, who has chaired this charity for years, said they helped 1,075 families last year when more than $41,000 was raised.

“We are budgeting to assist 1,175 family units this year,” he said. “Our hope is to raise $42,000.”

Morgan said details on how many families were actually helped and how much money was raised will be available when detailed accounting is completed early in 2012. He said they purchased food worth $44,000 last year. “The total value of food distributed exceeded $60,000.”

Morgan said the difference in money raised and the value of food distributed is made up by surplus from previous years. The council is made up of around 15 service clubs in Cornwall and the immediate area.

More than 50 per cent of the objective is already in the bank. The bulk of the money comes from service clubs. The fund will keep the books open until the end of March.

A number of service clubs members were also involved in distributing the food baskets. The Kiwanis Club of Cornwall started distributing food to needy families in 1928. As years progressed, many other clubs joined in distribution of food baskets.

The Children’s Christmas Fund was established in 1948. In recent years, the Children’s Christmas Fund has joined hands with the Agape Centre to formulate a common list for distribution of food vouchers and food baskets.

This was done to avoid duplication. Also some families were selling the food vouchers and sometimes using the vouchers for non food products.

Since 1993, the Children’s Christmas Fund and the Agape Centre have been involved in distributing food and toys to needy families. “Distribution of food remains a priority for service club members,” said Morgan.

Apart from the Children’s Christmas Fund, the service club council also sponsors and organizes the popular Santa Claus Parade. The past year was the 62nd year that the Children’s Christmas Fund distributed food to needy families and their children.



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Christmas Children's Fund feeds 900 families

75,000 pounds of food given out

Updated 2009

The past year has been a tough year one for the Berube family, but the Children’s Christmas Fund is making the festive time of year a little brighter for them.

Samantha Berube and her daughter Lynn lined up at the Cornwall Armouries Thursday to pick out a toy for Lynn’s younger brother, Ray, 15 during the day-long effort by the Cornwall Service Club Council and Agape Centre to help families in need over the holiday season.

“We both separated from our husbands recently and we’re looking for a new place to live,” Lynn said. “It’s been expensive to get back on our feet.”

Finances were tight even before Samantha split with her husband because he was drawing a disability pension.

“We’re doing our best to keep the family together for the holidays,” Samantha said. “We’re really grateful for everything the volunteers are doing here today.”

“This is great. We can’t believe all the gifts they have here.”

They ultimately picked out a gift that likely won’t be identified until Ray finds it under the tree on Christmas Day and took home a shopping cart full of food to make dinner on Dec. 25, but Lynn wasn’t so sure they would have much of a family gathering. She said Ray has been having difficulty adjusting to the family’s situation.

Tracey Newlove of the Agape Centre said the day was going well early in the afternoon towards achieving the fund’s goal of getting meals and gifts out to more than 900 families. “It’s one of those days you don’t mind knocking yourself out to get the job done,” said Marvin Plumadore, co-chair of the Children’s Christmas Fund. “It doesn’t feel like work on the day.”

A crew of six soldiers from the S, D & G Highlanders assisted in setting up the distribution system for the fund at the Cornwall Armouries over the past week and kept busy on Thursday as well.

Warrant officer Scott Greig said that after Highlanders commander Lt.-Col. Roy Clarke saw how successful the effort was at the armouries last year, he decided to make room in the budget to support the fund on an annual basis. Newlove gave the Highlanders credit for “doing a heck of a lot of work.”

Although he couldn’t say just yet how much money was raised towards the goal of $36,000, fund chairman Peter Morgan said all 75,000 pounds worth of food bought for the families was paid for.

Children’s Christmas Fund

More than 1,000 Cornwall families need help this Christmas

Published on November 7, 2012

Every Christmas in Cornwall there are at least 1,000 families who would have little more than chicken wieners and dried out French fries on the table to celebrate Christmas if not for the donations provided by the Children's Christmas Fund.

And, like it or not, with the holidays just weeks away, organizers of one of the largest Christmas charities in the community are hoping for some significant donations to help bring some cheer to what could otherwise be a gloomy occasion.

The Christmas fund is hoping to raise $40,000 this year to feed 1,100 city families a proper meal on Dec. 25.

Peter Morgan, chair of the fund, said the need in the city has continued to remain steady.

"In the last three years we've probably helped around 3,400 families," he said. "We try to have an exra little bit on the table for the families so the kids can enjoy Christmas."

Since its inception in 1948, the Children’s Christmas Fund has raised more than $1 million to help 27,500 needy families and their children

In 2012 $44,000 was raised and more than $60,000 worth of food was distributed.

In recent years, the Children’s Christmas Fund has joined hands with the Agape Centre to formulate a common list for distribution of food vouchers and food baskets.

Since 1993, the Children’s Christmas Fund and the Agape Centre have been involved in distributing food and toys to needy families.

“Distribution of food remains a priority for service club members,” said Morgan.

The food items will be distributed Dec. 19 to area families from the Cornwall Armouries.

"Anyone who wants to help can come down to the armouries," said Morgan. "We'll be distributing the food from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m."

Donations to the Christmas fund can be made at Scotiabank in Cornwall.

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As we navigate through unprecedented challenges, your contributions have become crucial to the Christmas Children's Fund mission. Your generosity and commitment can make a significant impact on our efforts to bring joy this holiday season. With your help, we can continue to give a hand up to the family's in Cornwall and area. 

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